Got overripe bananas no one wants to eat? Transform them into this exquisite vegan Banana Cake.
This one-bowl vegan banana cake has it all: it is low in fat, you can make it whole wheat, and it has the goodness of five bananas packed into it. Best of all it's so, so delicious. Bits of walnuts woven through the cake add a nice little crunchy surprise in every tender bite. You don't need any icing for this cake: it's really pretty with that upside-down, caramelized sliced banana top.
I love a good vegan banana cake and I've shared a few recipes with you over the years, including this vegan banana upside-down cake, vegan banana cake with peanut butter frosting and this vegan banana coffee cake with chocolate streusel. To that list, and to a plethora of other vegan banana goodies that include a scrumptious vegan banana bread and vegan banana muffins, I am adding today this simple but superb vegan banana cake.
Why you'll love this vegan banana cake
- It's decadently delicious with that amazing banana flavor infused in every bite, along with nutty bits of walnut. If you don't like walnuts you can add pecans or sliced almonds, and if you are nut-free you can just leave them out or add vegan chocolate chips. Yum.
- It's guilt-free. This vegan cake recipe is whole wheat (although you can definitely make it with all purpose flour and get an even more tender crumb). Use coconut sugar or maple syrup to keep things natural and wholesome. The bananas add more healthy goodness. This is a great snack or dessert for both health-conscious adults and for kids.
- It comes together in one bowl in no time. This is absolutely a no-fuss cake so there's no mixing dry ingredients in one bowl, wet ingredients in another, then putting it all together and so on. You will need to mash the bananas and you can do that in a food processor or with a fork--make sure you get it as smooth as possible. Then just dump everything in one bowl and mix. The glazed caramel banana topping comes together in the baking pan and couldn't be easier.
Vegan banana cake ingredients
- 5 bananas. Four bananas, which you will mix into the batter, should be overripe. The single banana needed for the caramelized upside-down top should be ripe but preferably not too soft so you can slice it easily.
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar. Use any sugar of your choice, including natural sugars like coconut sugar (which is really yummy here) or maple syrup. 1 cup goes into the cake batter and the remaining two tablespoons will be used for the caramelized banana topping.
- ½ cup coconut oil. I love coconut oil here and it makes a lovely, moist banana cake, but you can go with any other vegetable oil or vegan butter. If the coconut milk is solid at room temperature, or if you use vegan butter, melt it first.
- ½ cup nondairy milk. I use oat milk. Any nondairy milk will work.
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups flour. You have your choice here between using just whole wheat pastry flour or just all purpose flour. If you can't find whole wheat pastry flour you can also mix regular whole wheat flour and all purpose flour: 1 ½ cups of each. While the whole wheat version is healthier and very delicious, the all purpose flour will have a more delicate crumb.
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional). I don't always add this, but it adds a nice layer of flavor.
- 1 cup walnuts. Lightly toast the nuts before using. You can use pecans or sliced almonds. If you are nut-free leave out the nuts or use vegan chocolate chips.
How to make vegan banana cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees Celsius.
- Prepare a 9- or 10-inch cake pan by spraying or brushing on oil on the bottom and sides. I used a springform pan, which make unmolding a little easier, but you can use a regular cake pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
- Mash the four overripe bananas until quite smooth. You can do this in a food processor or blender, which just makes the process easier, or with a fork. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the sugar and coconut oil for about a minute.
- Add the milk, bananas, apple cider vinegar and vanilla and whisk until mixed.
- Sift the three cups of flour into the bowl, followed by the baking powder and baking soda. Add salt and cinnamon, if using.
- Use a spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just incorporated. Don't overmix but make sure there are no dry streaks of flour in the bowl.
- Stir in the toasted, chopped walnuts.
- Sprinkle the remaining two tablespoons of sugar on the bottom of the cake pan.
- Slice the one remaining banana and arrange the slices over the sugar.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan (it will be quite thick) and smooth the top with a spatula or spoon.
- Bake 35 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake on a rack for 20 minutes. Run a knife along the edges to loosen from the pan, then place a plate over the pan and flip it quickly so the cake unmolds. If you used a springform pan, release it, and if you used a cake pan lift it off. Gently peel off the parchment paper. Continue cooling the cake on a rack.
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: Leftovers of the cake can be refrigerated for up to a week.
- Freeze: Wrap the whole cake in its pan in freezer safe wrap (two layers is better), then aluminum foil, and freeze. If freezing slices, wrap each slice in cling wrap, then place in freezer safe container or bags and store for up to three months.
- Thaw completely before eating.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make this banana cake without nuts?
Yes, just skip the nuts. Or stir in 1 cup vegan chocolate chips into the batter.
Is this vegan banana cake healthy?
This vegan banana cake is as healthy as it gets. It can be made entirely with whole wheat flour, with natural sugars, and it has lots of fruit packed into it.
Can I bake this banana cake in a loaf pan?
You certainly can. You will need two loaf pans. Make sure you oil the pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
Can I make this banana cake with gluten free flour?
I have a great vegan and gluten free banana upside down cake recipe you can make. Try it, you will love it for sure.
Do you have a recipe for cream cheese frosting for this banana cake?
If you'd like a cream cheese frosting on the cake, use this vegan cream cheese frosting recipe from my vegan carrot cupcakes recipe. In that case you can skip making the caramelized banana top as the frosting would cover it anyway. If you want to make this a banana layer cake, divide the batter into two eight inch cake pans, bake, and frost with the cream cheese frosting.
More yummy banana recipes you might like
Vegan Banana Cake Recipe
This one-bowl vegan banana cake has it all: it is low in fat, you can make it whole wheat, and it has the goodness of five bananas packed into it. Best of all it's so, so delicious. Bits of walnuts woven through the cake add a nice little crunchy surprise in every tender bite. You don't need any frosting for this cake: it's really pretty with that upside-down, caramelized sliced banana top.
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Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 333kcal
Equipment
- 9- or 10-inch springform pan or any cake pan
Ingredients
- 4 ripe bananas (overripe bananas work best. You should get 2 cups pureed bananas)
- 1 cup sugar (use any sugar, including coconut sugar or maple syrup)
- ½ cup coconut oil (use any vegetable oil of your choice)
- ½ cup non dairy milk (I used oat milk. Any non dairy milk is fine here)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour. You can use all purpose flour. Or use a mix of 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour and 1 ½ cups all purpose flour)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
- 1 cup walnuts (lightly toasted, then finely chopped. For a nut-free option see the FAQs)
For the caramelized banana top
- 1 ripe (not overripe) banana (cut lengthwise into four slices. Don't worry if the slices are not perfect or they break--mine did. Just arrange in the pan and no one will know the difference)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees Celsius.
- Prepare a 9- or 10-inch cake pan by spraying or brushing on oil on the bottom and sides. I used a springform pan, which make unmolding a little easier, but you can use a regular cake pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
- Mash or puree the four overripe bananas until quite smooth. You can do this in a food processor or blender, which just makes the process easier, or with a fork. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the sugar and coconut oil for about a minute.
- Add the milk, bananas, apple cider vinegar and vanilla and whisk until mixed.
- Sift the three cups of flour into the bowl, followed by the baking powder and baking soda. Add salt and cinnamon, if using.
- Use a spatula to mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just incorporated. Don't overmix but make sure there are no dry streaks of flour in the bowl.
- Stir in the toasted, chopped walnuts.
- Sprinkle the remaining two tablespoons of sugar on the bottom of the cake pan.
- Slice the one remaining banana and arrange the slices over the sugar.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan (it will be quite thick) and smooth the top with a spatula or spoon.
- Bake 35 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake on a rack for 20 minutes. Run a knife along the edges to loosen from the pan, then place a plate over the pan and flip it quickly so the cake unmolds. If you used a springform pan, release it, and if you used a cake pan lift it off. Gently peel off the parchment paper. Continue cooling the cake on a rack.
Recipe notes
- If you want a frosting for this recipe, skip the instructions for the banana top. Instead, once the cake has baked, frost it with the cream cheese frosting recipe from this vegan carrot cupcakes recipe.
- You can also dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar before serving.
- To make this cake nut-free, just skip the nuts. Or stir in 1 cup vegan chocolate chips into the batter.
- You can bake the cake in two loaf pans. Reduce baking time to 25-30 minutes and remove from oven after a toothpick test.
- Refrigerate: Leftovers of the cake can be refrigerated for up to a week.
- Freeze: Wrap the whole cake in its pan in freezer safe wrap (two layers is better), then aluminum foil, and freeze. If freezing slices, wrap each slice in cling wrap, then place in freezer safe container or bags and store for up to three months.
- Thaw completely before eating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 146mg | Potassium: 162mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 41IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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Cheryl Ann Colaneri
A big hit with my family! Very moist (weighed a ton).
Carole Kyria Illouz-Thompson
When do we add the bananas after we mash them and set aside?
Vaishali
Hi, add them in step 5 with other wet ingredients!
Sandy Kunkle
Do you think I could use a gluten free flour mix or make my own using various whole grain flours thst do not contain gluten?
Vaishali
Hi Sandy, you certainly can. You can also check out this recipe for inspiration: https://holycowvegan.net/vegan-banana-upside-down-cake/